paulie henry

Q: Ibook G4 restore issues

Hello,

I have an old Ibook G4 running 10.4.1  I would like to give it to this needy family and cannot seem to restore it. I have one disk that reads Installation software and restore. When I open it it has OS X on it.

I read several discussions that say to start holding down the C key. Then some that say start holding down the command S key. I get a black screen with white letters. I have tried several of the commands listed at these discussions and get nowhere.

 

When I started this several weeks ago with intentions of selling I could not find the disk, but I did something and it asked for the disk. I am thinking it was in disk utility??? Can someone send me in the right direction. I really want to give this to that family. Thanks ahead of time.

Posted on Jan 14, 2016 1:47 PM

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Q: Ibook G4 restore issues

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  • by my ginger,Helpful

    my ginger my ginger Jan 15, 2016 7:38 AM in response to paulie henry
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Jan 15, 2016 7:38 AM in response to paulie henry

    That depend on what the disk you have is. If it is bootable, you would insert it into the optical drive and restart holding down the C key. If you do it from the desktop, you would open it if it does not on it's own and look on the disk for  an install or restore icon to double click on. This would restart the Ibook. If you get this far and it boots. There should be, at the top screen menu an option for utilities. There you could erase the indented drive in the left menu. Then close utilities and go back to installer screen and follow the instructions. If you get this far and it installs. Let it restart to setup screen and then hold down the power button till it shuts off. Depending on the year and model of Ibook. Some of the install media came on more than one disk. The S key is for single user. It goes to command line.

  • by paulie henry,Helpful

    paulie henry paulie henry Jan 15, 2016 7:38 AM in response to my ginger
    Level 1 (0 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 15, 2016 7:38 AM in response to my ginger

    Thanks, so my G$ is version 10.4.11 processor 1.42 GHz Power PC G4 Memory 78MB DDR SDRAM 1983-2007. The disk says install, but when I double click it goes to a screen telling me to press the power button and click restart. I press button but never get a choice of restart. It just shuts down.  I went to disk utility but all options for era are greyed out. It says Macos Extended (Journaled) in grey slot.  I did a erase free space using the 7 times option so everything I deleted should be off of the computer, right? If I do an admin change with a new password would I be safe to say that my person stuff will not be forwarded?So frustrated! wish I'd gone to school for computer science!

    Thanks ahead of time for your assistance.

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Jan 15, 2016 8:00 AM in response to paulie henry
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Jan 15, 2016 8:00 AM in response to paulie henry

    When using the install disk from the desktop and click on the install icon. I do not remember a prompt to push the power button. If should give you a box at the bottom to restart or continue. If you just click restart in the box, it should restart and go to the install screen after a reboot. If it does, there will be a menu at the top for utilities. Clicking on it will show in the drop down disk utilities. There you can erase the indented drive ,close and go back to the install screen. The only other way is to , with the disk in and mounted, is a restart and hold the C key down at startup chime.  Is the disk you have a gray disk that has on it Ibook.and mac os 10.4. It can say restore and still work. In disk utilities all you can do from inside the operating system is repair permissions and verify the hard drive. From a bootable install disk you can repair or erase the hard drive and reinstall.

  • by paulie henry,

    paulie henry paulie henry Jan 15, 2016 8:11 AM in response to my ginger
    Level 1 (0 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 15, 2016 8:11 AM in response to my ginger

    Photo on 1-15-16 at 10.04 AM.jpg

    Here is the disk I have. It does have OS X install icon when I open it. I get a window that says "hold down restart button" in several languages. I hold down the power button but never get a window with choices. I have held it for 1-5 seconds after that it shuts down. There isn't any window/box onscreen to hold. So if I understand what you are saying. If I have the disk in and go to Disk Utilities I would be able to erase the drive and reinstall OS X right? Or do I need to put disk in and hold down "C" and then get it to restart or get to disk utilities from there. I never have any options other than the one multi language restart window. Darn!

  • by paulie henry,

    paulie henry paulie henry Jan 15, 2016 8:14 AM in response to paulie henry
    Level 1 (0 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 15, 2016 8:14 AM in response to paulie henry

    I have gotten disk utility to erase, but says it will take hours. Is that normal?

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Jan 15, 2016 8:44 AM in response to paulie henry
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Jan 15, 2016 8:44 AM in response to paulie henry

    That disk should work. I had an Ibook and that disk. As far as hours to erase. That would depend on how many passes it is making and what size hard drive you have. In erase there is an option(if you use it) to make as many as seven passes over the disk. Did you do a check/repair of the hard drive first? What shows on screen is in the install is the option to click on a different language if yours is not english. The top one would be english. Down at the bottom is continue or install.  The only thing you should be erasing is the indented drive which has the operating system on it. Not the main drive.

  • by paulie henry,

    paulie henry paulie henry Jan 15, 2016 9:08 AM in response to my ginger
    Level 1 (0 points)
    iPhone
    Jan 15, 2016 9:08 AM in response to my ginger

    Thanks I think I did the 7 passes. Dumb I guess. Will take longer. No did not do the repair thing. Darn! Yes doing the indented. I guess I will just wait the hours needed and go from there. Thanks for all your help.